The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

It's the first day of the month of April...no foolin'!  Also, it's the first day that we are no longer residents of North Carolina. 

And, as that 60's saying attributed to Charles Dederich goes: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." Truth be told, I'm still in recovery mode from the last 365+ days of my life. 

After the marathon of moving activities that began in earnest a little over a year ago, yesterday's closing on our HPNC house seemed, well, almost anticlimactic. We had made a trip to GA at the beginning of the week, using the opportunity to take a carload of "stuff" (meaning some of the odds and ends that didn't make it onto the movers truck and into storage) to Missy M's. On our return to Casa 3917, we packed the rest of the "stuff" either in one of our cars or in the garbage cans.

And then we took a final walk around the yard and into the Way Back. The pink dogwood (pictured) is just beginning to bloom in front, and everything is looking green and lush after the recent rains. Of course, there is a long list of garden chores...getting longer as the days and nights lengthen...but we won't be doing them this year. Not in HPNC at least. 

Even though we have taken divisions of almost every known plant we have (that constituted the majority of the load we took to M's in the 16' Budget Truck 2 weeks ago), I imagine it's no secret that this is the answer to the question: "so, what will you miss the most about High Point?"  The Way Back, hands down. Oh sure, we will miss many elements about the house (all the beautiful wood floors, crown molding and chair railing in every room; and the kitchen and morning room with the fireplace and windows on our Way Back world); we'll miss living side-by-side with Oak Hollow reservoir in the Sailing Point neighborhood, especially that drive into it which was so relaxing; we'll miss living in a 15-minute college town...you can get anywhere you need to be in 15 minutes or less, and you benefit from being in the orbit of a university; and I'll especially miss living in an Amtrak train stop town (see depot photo below) and all the friends I made through Master Gardening. But, the memories of our garden oasis that we created from a wasteland will leave us with the keenest sense of loss.

[Certainly, there are some things that we will happily say buh-bye to: the Skeet Club and North Main Street road construction headaches, along with the lack of much cultural identity for a city which has a heritage other than socks and sofas (see photo below)...made much worse by the overwhelming focus by the powers-that-be on the Furniture Market, which creates a void of vibrant and interesting shopping and dining opportunities in what can only be described as a generally boring and lackluster downtown...*yawn*...except twice a year. I can honestly say I shall not miss Market!]

Anyway...

I couldn't help but recall what it looked like when we moved into the house nearly 8 years ago (actually 7 years, 10 months...a record for us, by the way!). The original owners had both had debilitating health problems for over a year prior to their putting the house on the market and had moved to senior care facilities. The house and property were well maintained, but both were...sterile and...cold and...almost unloved-looking. I know that must sound silly, but that was my first impression, and it took me a long time to shake those feelings off. We have loved living at Casa 3917, and I wanted the new owners to have a different first impression of their new home.

When we were leaving the house for the last time on Thursday night just before the couple was to come over for their final walk through, I gathered the remaining Spring flowers (some paperwhites were still blooming) along with cuttings of rosemary ("rosemary is for remembrance") to make a bouquet in a Mason jar...which I left on the counter along with all the warranty booklets, the original house plans and lawn sprinkler layout, a Shutterfly book* of pictures of the property in bloom, and a couple notes of welcome to their new home. I moved two of the garden chairs that weren't going with us onto the screen porch, along with a small plant stand for a table, to create a quiet spot for them to relax during the hectic move-in period. I hoped that I could convey comfort and...warmth and...a sense that "you will love living here...we did!"

It must have worked because when we met the new owners on Friday morning, they were both smiling ear-to-ear, and the wife said "we loved your notes you left! Thank you!"

Ahhhh...my work here is done!

So, closing went off without a hitch and we headed our cars down I-85 to our temporary quarters with Missy M. Somewhere around Charlotte, we got the call from our realtor saying that the deed had been recorded electronically, which meant that it was officially a "done deal!" More importantly, it meant we could deposit the check we had received...and promised not to cash or deposit until we got the word it was official (it's a North Carolina thing...go ahead and roll your eyes...we certainly have...;-). To make it all official-official, I posted on Facebook that we were officially homeless...yippee! 

Next steps? Well, I had planned to sleep for a week...or at least until noon today...but, of course I did neither. Probably because I was too darn excited about it being the first day of the rest of my life!

We do need some R & R from the tyranny that "the move" had become, so we plan on restoring our equilibrium, so to speak, here with Missy M over the next few weeks. The garden here is calling out, and there is plenty to keep us busy and happy.  It's definitely going to take time, though, as I discovered last night: I found myself thinking "now, when we drive home to NC on Sunday..."  Umm, no. There will be no more of that. We are no longer residents of NC.

We already have a realtor here (just like we found our HPNC realtor, we are using the American Airlines Miles From Home program...which earns us airline miles when we use their services), so if we decide that "here" is where we want to be, we can find our next abode.

That is the Big Question we will be mulling: where exactly is our new "here?"

As always...stay tuned!

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* Here's a link to that Shutterfly book I mentioned. Fingers crossed it works when you click on it!

Our Great Quest

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, no doubt. But no truer words have ever been spoken: what a difference a couple of months can make!

When last I wrote, we had just flipped the calendar page over to 2017. We had several more showings of our house in January, but we had also had too much time to reflect on this huge step we were taking: selling our house in order to move closer to Missy M.

To refresh your memory, we had come to the conclusion last February that selling our house in High Point was the linchpin to making our "Retirement Transition Plan" work. To make that a reality, we worked to the point of exhaustion starting on Labor Day to prepare our "stuff" for a Downsizing Sale that was held by Blue Moon Estate Sales over the weekend of October 21-23 and to prep our house to go on the market the last Thursday in October (supposedly, the best day to list a house for sale is a Thursday...they have done studies that show it yields higher offers). And to show that we really are serious about selling this time, I buried St. Joseph* in my 'Herb Garden' container, along with sage, rosemary, thyme, and chives.

So, where are we in our great quest now, you ask? Well, we have been on some kind of real estate roller coaster ride since then. As our contract came up for renewal in late January, we decided we needed to take a step back from the tyranny of trying to keep the house ready to show at a moment's notice. Plus, we knew we would be dog-sitting for most of the month of February while Missy M traveled for 3 weeks, and having four dogs inside in Winter triples the effort required to ready a house for showing. So, let's take a break.

As luck would have it, we got not one but TWO full-price offers the day the contract expired. The first one was easy to say no to, since the lady insisted that we close in a few weeks...and if we couldn't close on that specific day, then there was no offer. We were supposed to be on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (more on that in a mo) that exact day, so no...and she withdrew her offer.

The second offer was a little more difficult to reject. This couple had looked at our house back in December when we had our first Open House, and they had wanted to put in an offer, then and there. However, they had a house to sell...and they hadn't even put it on the market! So...it was easy to say "no." Wouldn't you know it? They got an agent, put their house on the market, and sold it in a week! Now, they were back...with a full-price offer...so, we had a more difficult time saying "no" this time. But we did...and thought that was The End of that.

Our (wonderful, marvelous, extra-special) realtor said she understood and worked the magic needed to get our listing out of MLS. And then we started thinking "maybe we can just stay here for 2-3 more years." We decided to replace the washer and dryer that had been sold in the Sale (because going to the laundromat was getting old)...and, in true Patricia-thinking logic: "before we install a new W/D, let's paint the laundry room a spectacular color...an aquamarine called 'Aloha!'"

Go ahead...roll your eyes. We certainly have since then.

Two days later, before the paint in the laundry was completely dry (and also in the pantry, which was on T's drawing board for a shelving unit redesign, too), our (wonderful, marvelous, extra-special) realtor texted to ask permission to say "no" yet again to the couple. What?!?

Apparently, they really, really, really wanted to buy our house. They were offering a "clean contract" (not asking for a thing...not even any repairs if their inspector found anything!) along with $10k more than the original listing price! And they had moved their closing date to the end of March from their original request for 3/14/17. 

Have you ever heard the British term "gobsmacked?" Means:  Flabbergasted, astounded, speechless. Yep, that pretty much describes how we felt. Somehow we had clear-enough heads to realize that we probably weren't going to get another offer like this any time soon (and maybe not in 2-3 years, even). So, instead of giving our (wonderful, marvelous, extra-special) realtor permission to say "no," we told her to say "yes!" 

And since that moment, we have been working nearly non-stop to reach the Finish Line of closing on 3/31/17. We postponed our trip to AZ (so, no standing on the South Rim in early March for us), and I cancelled my trip to W Homecoming (and no attending the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Rosettes, either 😥). We contracted with Two Men and a Truck to load and move our things to storage (more in a mo), and Mr. T and I got busy packing the rest of our belongings (the things that escaped being stored in the Pod or being sold at the Sale). Now, you might think "we couldn't be talking about too much stuff, could we?" Well, remarkably, yes we were! 

Then, we dug up and potted up masses of transplants that would make the trip from the Way Back with us to (?)...but in the meantime while we decide where their final destination (?) will be, we rented a 16' Budget truck to transport them (and a few other things) to Missy M's...which will be a temporary shelter for all of us (people, pups, and plants!) until...we are ready to make that next move. 

And last but certainly not least has been the cleaning. The dust has been banished, the fixtures are gleaming, and the floors are positively glowing! And neither of us can move without pain. How will we get where we are going if we can't move?!?

Remind us, where exactly are you moving to? Still don't have an answer to that. But I can reveal that there are at a minimum 4 possible solutions to that equation at present:

1) Somewhere in GA, near where Missy M currently lives (Lawrenceville). But, if she makes a job-related move (always a possibility...hey, she came by that tendency naturally!), that would mean...

2) Somewhere in (?), near where M goes next...if she goes anywhere.

3) Somewhere between GA and (?).

4) Somewhere near Tampa, FL, as T contemplates un-retirement (that will take a whole post in itself to explain!).

As we get closer to our closing date, and hopefully closer to knowing where we will be moving to, I am reminded of lines from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (I love that movie!):

Walter Donovan: As you can now see, Dr. Jones, we are on the verge of completing a quest that began almost two thousand years ago. We're just one step away. 

Indiana Jones: That's usually when the ground falls out from underneath your feet.

Continue to stay tuned! Another post will be coming along...hopefully sooner rather than later!

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*About "Burying St. Joseph": I've shared this before. An Ohio neighbor once advised me to bury a statue of St. Joseph in the backyard (she specified "head down") in order to facilitate a sale on our house there. You doubt? If you Google "burying St. Joseph to sell your house," you'll get over 25 million hits. Amazing.

Here's a link to an article that does a good job of explaining this one (note that it is from a business-oriented site, Bank Rate.com):

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/real-estate/20040831a1.asp

Holidays are Here!

Yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...well, maybe not a normal Christmas in the Adsit household, but Christmas nonetheless! Even though we are in the throes of an impending move from NC  (to where? when?), we (OK, I...) still had to put the few decorations that escaped the Estate Sale as well as being packed in the Pod into service at Casa 3917 to bring us good cheer. Must keep as many of the family traditions as possible, even in the transition...

Our 2016 Christmas Tree...AKA the Foyer Coat Rack

Rudy and Rhonda Reindeer - wearing Missy M's Christmas-past PJ's

Stockings are hung by the Chimney!

Thanksgiving Cactus in full-bloom

Christmas Teddy Bear Parade in the "Playroom"

Christmas Memories of Loved Ones on the Mantle

And, let us not forget the tradition of our annual Adsit Adventure Christmas Newsletter whichI have been doing since 1976. While we are all discombobulated with the downsizing move (where is the laptop? where is the printer? where are the cables to connect the two? where is the cardstock to print the newsletter? where is the new color cartridge for the printer?), we (OK, I...) still had to do one. It's tradition, after all!

Here's what made it into the Christmas cards this year...Volume #41 of our Christmas Newsletter:

Hoping you and yours have had a happy, healthy, and prosperous year!

2016 was another "Adsit Adventure" for us, to say the least: Thomas retired from Mitsubishi Fuso in February, we took an Alaskan Cruise to celebrate our 40th anniversary in May, and we began the downsizing transition by packing up the boxes and putting our NC house on the market in October. The adventure continues with a trip to the 2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl in Nassau in December, courtesy of daughter Maredith (who was awarded her trip when she received one of the Popeyes corporate Purpose and Principle awards called "Coach and Develop")! Whew!

As 2016 comes to a close, we find ourselves betwixt and between...spending Christmas Eve on a foreign shore, with fingers crossed (toes, too!) for the sale of our NC house. So, Volume #41 of our annual newsletter, "The Adsit Adventure" was a bit briefer...and I bet you thought I couldn't do "brief!" True...it's a bit unusual; also true...it packed the same well-wishes for love, peace, and joy to you and yours!

We hope 2017 will be everything you are wishing for. Remember...keep up with us through my blog (http://adsit2.blogspot.com) and on Facebook.

Yes, you read that right. We are Bahamas-bound! I will try to post pictures of our Bahamas trip soon after we return to the States...depending on whether I can get my pictures to connect with whatever device I can find to post to my blog...sometimes my iPhone doesn't play nicely with my Google blog. You know, being constantly at 6's and 7's (as the Brits say) with this downsizing move, not knowing where my "stuff" is at the moment, is extracting a toll on what I can get done when (you should see me trying to fix a decent meal with one pot, one serving spoon, etc....everything else is either in the Pod or went in the Sale!). I once said that the most difficult move we ever made was when we moved across Gwinnett County (from Duluth to Dacula, GA). Well, I may have to revise that opinion...sooner rather than later.

Let's hope that 2017 brings us all the good tidings we are expecting!  And soon...you know, I still hate to wait!

Meanwhile...I'll leave you with a fabulous picture of Winston...waiting in the Way Back...in the snow...a couple of years ago. Through the magic of Google, there seem to be snow flakes falling!

Merry Christmas to all!

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If you arrived here looking for an update on our move, here's the CliffsNotes version: house still on the market...had multiple showings, at least 3 of which are repeat-viewers...but no offer as of 12/17/16. Weather has (finally) turned cold, so probably very few showings will happen between now and New Year...but as our Realtor keeps saying "you never know!" (which means we still have to keep the house ready for a showing at a moment's notice...not easy with two dogs!) We continue to divide our time between NC and GA. More in next post...

Honey, We're Home!

After 96 days, 22 hours, and 13 minutes, Elmo, Duche$$, and I are finally back in HPNC. Altogether now: hooray!

The Welcome Home was all I could have hoped for. Mr. T had made a sign and snipped several rose blooms. We took our Coffee Walk into the Way Back Monday morn, and when I went into the Kitchen Garden, I had to get me a ripe tomato for my first BLT of 2012! Yum!! I've waited nearly 3 months to be able to take that picture!

The trip here was every bit as much fun as you can imagine. I was so nauseated at the beginning that I almost asked Mr. T to turn the car around and return to Missy M's house. We made it to the first rest stop...then to the WV state line...down the Turnpike to VA...through the three rain storms back-to-back-to-back...and when we crossed the NC state line, I knew I could make it. Until I saw that sign for Winston-Salem though, I still had my doubts. Mr. T is a fantastic driver, and the dogs were troopers.

It has taken me a couple of days to recover, but I wanted to write a short post before the week aged much more. I'm taking it easy, making the transition back to my life with deliberation. I already miss Missy M and her pups, but it was time.

The simple things are the things I've missed the most about my NC life. Coffee Walks in the Way Back with Mr. T (although we have used FaceTime to make up for this). My own bed. Our gardens. Our automatic ice maker.

I discovered that I've forgotten how to use my electric stove...since Missy M cooks with gas. Momma used to tell on herself: when she got her first electric stove, she said she burned everything she cooked for weeks. Totally understand. You can probably tell that bacon in the photo is extra-crispy!

I've also forgotten where the right switch is for the light I want. Granted, the electrician who wired this house was a real jokester...light switches in odd places, etc. But I stood in the bathroom Sunday night, poised to enter our closet, and switched on three lights before I got the correct one. Grrrr.

I have also discovered how much I miss Gus. It really is a different place without him. Ah well...

So we are home...getting accustomed to it again. And trying to get back into our routine again. That may sound dull and boring to some.

To me, it sounds heavenly.

(BTW, I'll post a Bell's Palsy Update next week, and then every two weeks for the duration. No real changes to report...and I'm getting tired of saying the same thing in every post. Ho hum.)